Part 3

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For the next days Serena tried everything to avoid any contact with either Aragorn or Legolas. Instead she talked a lot with Frodo or the other hobbits. She liked them for they were easygoing and even in the situation they were now, they hadn't lost their sense of humour. But what made her sticking around them more often was that they didn't ask questions. Legolas on the other hand had found that he wanted to know more about this woman that occupied his dreams since he had first seen her. So he continued to watch her from a distance and soon learned that neither her laughter nor her smiles were true. 'Serena' he thought, 'why do you hide behind a mask?' And he made a promise to himself to find the true Serena underneath all those layers of precedence.

The moon shone right into her face, Serena lay in her bed wide awake. It was their last night in Rivendell. The light kept her from sleeping and she got up to sit by the window. Looking over the strangely beautiful elven town she tried to come to terms with her feelings. Six years ago she had learned that to feel meant to get hurt and decided that the only way to make sure not to get hurt again was not to feel again. It had worked until now. Here in this unreal place all her feelings seemed to come back to her. The walls she had built around herself crumbled and she was scared of what she would find behind them. Scared to break down completely, if she let herself grieve. After Marco's death everybody had told her it was the best to go back to normality as soon as possible. She had been on the ice one day after the funeral, there surrounded by the cold and focused only on the movement Serena had found a certain peace. But now, far away from all the people that expected her to be strong and smiling, she could not hide from the pain and grief that still was buried deep in her soul. 'I've never let him go' she thought. "Marco" her voice was only a whisper.

Legolas hadn't noticed that Serena was sitting in the window next to him until he heard her voice. "Marco" Only a name but the pain in her voice told the elf more than any words could have. He felt a sharp pain in his heart and shook his head. When had he fallen in love with the mysterious woman? It could have been the moment when he saw the tears in her eyes or even earlier when he had seen her for the first time. Legolas looked at the tear that had fallen on his hand, he didn't want to love her, she was mortal and she obviously loved someone else. Gracefully he got up and wanted to walk away when he heard her calling.

"Who is this?" 'Please not Legolas' Her silent prayer did go unheard as the elf walked over to her. "I did not want to disturb your peace." Serena almost smiled at his formality. "You didn't disturb me, I couldn't sleep and was thinking of ..." Legolas could see the pain in her eyes when she continued. "... the past." "Only that it is not past for you. I heard you saying a name, don't you want to tell me about him?" Serena's eyes held his for a moment and then she turned her head and nodded. "Maybe you are right, maybe it is not yet past for me, but I have realized here that no matter what I do, I can't change what happened. Maybe I was brought here to finally release him." When she met his gaze again her eyes were clearer than ever before. Serena got up, her hands cupped Legolas face and she bent down to kiss him on the forehead. "You are a good friend, Legolas, never forget that."

She had long gone when Legolas found the will to move, the skin where her lips and hands had touched him was still burning. Shaking he walked over to his room, his heart in a uproar and his emotional control nearly shattered. If only they had more time, he needed her in a way he could not understand. Her mere touch brought him to the edge and for a real true smile he would give everything. If only they had more time....

Back in her room Serena didn't know why she suddenly felt such a peace inside her, why she suddenly could cry and mourn her loss. Her grief went deep but her tears seemed to clean her inside. She wept for hours and for the first time in six years she slept without waking up sweating and shivering. She woke as the sun touched her face and she felt happy. She felt? 'I don't have any feelings anymore, how can I be happy now?' But it was true, the night had cleaned more than just her grief and pain. The tears had also melted away some of the ice around her feelings. 'I should be scared, but all I can feel is happiness.' As in a dream she left her room to meet her companions in the hall, yet halfway she saw Elrond and out of impulse she called his name. When she stood next to him, she took his hand and kissed it. "Thank you for bringing me here. This place has not destroyed my life, it has given it back to me."

Elrond looked at the woman, a lightness surrounded her that had not been there yesterday. For the first time since she was here, she seemed to be happy. Serena saw the elven king's surprise and laughed. Legolas who had been walking through the corridors stopped at the sound of laughter floating through the air. He looked towards the source and saw Serena standing there. Elrond was next to her and watched her with amazement, while the beautiful woman had stopped laughing. "Lord Elrond, this place has obviously far greater powers than you knew." "Its powers are known to me, yet its effects on people are still a mystery for me." He offered her his arm and led her towards the hall. Legolas came back to reality with a start when the two disappeared. He really needed to find a way to control his feelings, he could not allow them to endanger the journey.